Snoop Dogg granted visa for Australia despite protests

Collective Shout’s campaign to ban Snoop Dog from performing as one of the headliners in Australia’s annual music festival Big Day Out and then a series of concerts, has failed.

The grassroots rights movement which campaigns "against the objectification of women and sexualization of girls in media, advertising and popular culture" targeted the American rapper and wanted his visa revoked, on grounds that his song lyrics promote violence against women and that he is a ‘self-professed pimp.’

Talitha Stone, 24,from Sydney who is part of Collective Shout started the petition on Change.orga week before Christmas asking the office of federal immigration minister Scott Morrison to bar Snoop Dogg from entering Australia.

The petition read ’Snoop Dogg’ (more recently ‘Snoop Lion’), real name Calvin Broadus, promotes hate speech against women. He is famous for his misogynistic lyrics, referring to women as ‘bit****’ and ‘ho**’ who ‘suck d***’. His songs include ‘Break a bit** ‘till the day I die’ and ‘Can you control yo h**?”’

It also continued with, “Snoop Dogg’s presence here would contradict the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children. It undermines the Plan’s commitment to the human rights of women and girls and respectful relationships.

The petition reached more than 3500 signatures before Morrison told reporters in Canberra last week that the government had decided to grant the visa.

Snoop Dogg has been previously refused entry into Australia, when in 2007 his visa was revoked ahead of his visit to co-host the MTV Australia Video Music Awards.

His visa was canceled that time because of his extensive criminal record (mostly drug offences)and then reinstated in 2008 following a “full character assessment.”

Snoop has also been denied entry into Britain, Norway and the Netherlands.

Stone has previously attempted to have other controversial musicians like Tyler, the Creator and Robin Thicke’s banned for their misogynist and degrading lyrics.

Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, Major Lazer, Beady Eye and The Lumineers are among the other acts who will also perform at the various Big Day Out venues in Australia.